Bail way signal



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. H. WILSON.

, RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 531,986. Patented Jan 1, 1895.

DQ H, WILSON. RAILWAY lGNAL.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(N0 Muriel.)

Patented Jan 1, 1895.-

Z rzessesx RAILWAY SIGNAL,

N0. 153L986. l Patented Jan. 1. 1895.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

D. H. WILSON. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No 531,986. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricE.

DAVID II. IVILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-81G NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,986, dated January1, 1895.

Application filed February 10, 1894:. Serial No. 499,733. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. \VILSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and usefulImprovement in Railway-Signals, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railway signals and has for its objectthe production of an improved system of signals or block sys tem to beused in connection with railways and the like.

A further object is to combine the said system of signals with anelectric fence which may extend along the track, for the purpose ofpreventing animals, such as horses and cattle, from getting in the wayof the trains upon such track.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewof the switchboard for the fence and signaling apparatus.

' Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the signaling apparatus. Fig. 3 is adetail view of the rail attachment by which the circuits are operated.Fig. :l is a detail view of the semaphore con trolling apparatus. Fig. 5is a perspective view of a double track supplied with my system ofsignals.

Like parts are referred to by like letters and numerals throughout theseveral figures.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical View of the switch-board for the fence andsystem of sig male and a combined motor and generator for operating thesame. This combined motor and generator consists of three machinescombined in one, viz: a motor, a continuous generator, and an alternatecurrent generator and is designed and constructed for use with my systemof signals in combination with an electric fence.

A is the motor armature; A, the alternate current armature which isconnected to the fence wires, and A the continuous current armaturewhich furnishes current for the signaling device. This switch-board issimilar to the one I have described in detail in my application filedSeptember 8, 1893, Serial No. 485,102, and hence I will give only ageneral description of the same.

One brush of the armature A is connected to the different fence wires 1,2, 3, a, 5 by means of the switches B and the other brush is grounded atE. The wires at the left side of the switch-board, except the groundedwire, are the return wires of the fence. The fence wires extend alongone side of the track and back on the other side, the length dependingon the generator. It will be noticed that the series of switches B'onthe left are open, with the exception of the one connected to theground, and hence no current will flow unless the fence wires aregrounded by an animal coming in contact with them or in some othermanner. These switches B are used to test the fence wires. When one ofthe fence wires is grounded, the current flowing through the magnet 0causes it to attract its armature G and complete a local circuit throughthe battery O and magnet of hell 0 and sound an alarm.

D is a telegraph instrument arranged on the switch-board in such amanner that by moving the switch D from the contact points D D tocontact points D D the fence wire 2 is cut out of circuit with thegenerator and cut in circuit with the telegraph instrument.

D is the battery for the telegraph instrument having one of its polesgrounded at E.

A telephone F is arranged on the switchboard in such a manner that byremoving the receiver F from the support F the fence wire 1, is cut outof circuit with, the generator and in circuit with the telephone. By

this arrangement a person supplied with a I hand telephone or telegraphinstrument can communicate with the station operator from any pointalong the fence. By means of a prearranged set ofsignals sounded by thebell C the operators attention can be attracted. The armature A has oneof its brushes grounded at E and the other connected to the wire 7 onthe fence.

Referring to Fig. 2, which is a diagrammatic View of the signalingapparatus applied to a portion of track, the apparatus is shown in itsnormal position when no trains are on the track. This figure shows twosets of similar apparatus, one at each end of a portion or block of theroad.

It will be understood that each block along the road is supplied in thesame manner and that there will be a set of signals on each side of theroad The signals on one side will be operated by the trains going in onedirection and the signals on the other side by trains going in theopposite direction. One generator will work the signals for a number ofblocks, the length of wire receiving current from each generatordepending of course upon the voltage of such generator, as in othersystems of distribution.

As the two sets of apparatus shown are alike, a description of one willbe sufficient. I will, however, use diiferent'letters in the two sets tofacilitate the explanation-of their operation.

G is a bar to which are pivoted the hermetically sealed tubes G, G G GThese tubes are partially filled with mercury and are also pivoted tosome stationary object so that a motion of the bar G will rock them soas to shift the mercury from one end to the other. This bar G is shiftedby the wheels of the train through the agency of the mechanism shown inFig. 3. These tubes have contact points sealed into them as shown.

G is a catch by which the bar G is held in position when moved in thedirection of the arrow by the passing train. This catch is normally heldout of engagement with the bar G by the spring G and is held inengagement with said bar by the electro-magnet G which is connected bythe wires G G with the battery G. This battery G has in circuit a switchG normally held open by the spring G This switch makes contact with thecontact point G and is the armature of the elec tro-magnet G.

G G are the wires leading from the battery G to the semaphore apparatus.

G G are wires connecting the electro-magnet G with the tubes G and G Gis a wire leading from tube G to fence wire 6. G leads from said tube toground.

G is a conductor leading from fence wire 6 to wire G which connects theinsulated contact G and one of the contacts of the tube G. Said tube Gis supplied as shown with two contact points at each end, the oppositecontact points being connected by the wires G and G The contactsconnected by the latter wire are connected by conductor G to contactpoint G Contact G is fastened to but insulated from the armature G ofthe electro'magnet G. G is another contact connected by wire G toarmature G Armature G is normally held free from the contacts G G by thespring G. The electromagnet G is connected by the wire G with the tube Gand by wire G with the ground. G leads from the armature G through theelectro-magnet I to wire G A spring G tends to keep the bar G in itsnormal condition. G is-a conductor leading from G to tube G A conductorG leads from the fence wire 7 to the tube G Referring to the apparatusfor controlling the semaphore, an enlarged view of which is shown inFig. 4, 1' is an electric motor the armature of which is connected tothe shaft 1 carrying a drum upon which is wound the the springs K K rope1 This rope I has its other end fastened to a druml connected with thesemaphore 1 Rigid with the drum 1 is a pulley I provided with a belt 1which also passes around a pulley I on the base of the lamp 1 This lampis so arranged that it will show a white light in one direction and ared light in the opposite direction and is normally out of circuit, onlybeing in circuit when the circuit is closed through the motor I; butwhen it is revolved by means of motor 1', the circuit is completedthrough it by means of the brushes 1 I and suitable contact rings. 1 isa piece attached to the drum 1 and is provided with the two lugs I lwhich are of different sizes as shown. A pawl l is situated so as to actas the armature of the magnet I and to engage the lugs so as to limitthe amount of motion of the drum l 1 is a brush in contact with theshaft 1 and connected by wire 1 to condoctor G 1 is a lug on the shaft 1adapted to engage the brush I when the shaft is rotated through an arcof ninety degrees from its normal position. From the brush 1 leads theconductor 1 through lamp 1 to conductor G The armature of the motor I,is connected with the wires G G by conductors I Referring to Fig. 3,which shows the track attachment by which the bar G carrying the tubesG, G G G is moved, two pieces K, K are pivoted at opposite ends inproximity to the rail K as shown. These pieces are beveled so that thefree ends reach above the top of the rail as shown and hence when atrain passes along the track, they will be depressed. These pieces areheld in position by Pivoted to the free ends of the pieces K, K, are thebell crank levers K K. The horizontal arm of each of these levers is ofsuch length as to extend beyond the end of the piece to which it ispivoted so as to be beneath the other piece as shown. Beneath thevertical arms of the levers K K is a T shaped piece K pivoted at K andconnected by the link K to the rod K which has the enlarged parts K Khaving beveled surfaces as shown. K K are blocks on the ends of the barsG and have beveled surfaces similar and in proximity to the beveledsurfaces on the enlarged parts K K. It will be noticed that there aretwo bars Gshownin this figure. One is for the signals on one side of theroad which will be operated by the trains going in one direction, andthe other for the signals on the other side of the road which will beoperated by trains going in the other direction.

Fig. 5 shows a double track supplied with my system of signals and alsoshows three trains, X, Y, Z, in difierent positions and thecorresponding position of the signals.

It is evidentthat the form,construction and arrangement of these severaldevices may be changed without departing from the spirit of my inventionand I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact construction andarrangement shown. I

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: hen the apparatusis in the position shown in Fig. 2, no current is flowing, as thecircuit leading from the fence wire 7 is broken in the tubes G and HSuppose a train is traveling along the track in the direction of thearrow. When it comes opposite the tubes G G &c., or rather when itswheels come in contact with the piece K (see Fig. 3) said piece will beforced downwardly and since it comes in contact with the horizontal armof the bell crank lever K, said lever will be rotated on its pivot andits vertical arm will be moved to the left so as to be out of the way ofthe piece K. The lever K will move downwardly with said piece and,coming in contact with the piece X, will cause it to rotate in thedirection of the arrow, which motion will cause the rod K to be moved tothe left and by means of the beveled surfaces on K and K the bar G willbe moved in the direction of the arrow. It a train should be moving inthe opposite direction, the action will be just the reverse of thatdescribed and the lower bar G will be moved while the upper bar remainsstationary, thus working the signals on the other side of the track.When the bar G is moved in the direction of the arrow, the position ofthe tubes G, G G G will be changed so as to shift the mercury from theright end to the left end. To avoid confusion, I have not shown thetubes in this shifted position but have indicated the position of themercury in this position by dotted lines, the position of the mercury inthe normal condition being shown by full lines. hen the mercury is inthe position shown by the dotted lines, a circuit will be completedthrough the armature A of the generator and will be traced as follows:from generator to fence wire 7, thence by wire G to tube G thencethrough mercury and wire G to c011- ductor G", thence through magnet Genergizing said magnet so as to complete the circuit through the batteryG thence by conductor GP to tube Gr, thence through mercury andconductor G to fence wire 6, thence by wire H to wire H thence throughmercury in tube H to conductor H thence through conductor H to tube Hthence through conductor H to magnet H, energizing said magnet so as tocomplete the circuit through the battery H thence by conductor H to tube11*, thence by conductor H to ground and thence back to generator. Whenthe magnet G is energized it attracts its armature G and completes thecircuit through the battery G There will be several circuits from saidbattery and they may be traced as follows: from battery G to armature Gthence through contact G and conductors G and G to magnet G thence bywire G back to battery. hen magnet G' is energized it attracts itsarmature G and causes it to engage the bar G bythe notches on the end ofeach and hold said bar from being moved back to its normal condition bythe spring G After thetrain has passed a second circuit through batteryGR is pleted through the motor I, and lamp I said motor revolves and bymeans of rope I and drum 1 (see Fig. 4) moves the semaphore 1 from itsVertical position to a position at an angle of forty-five degrees withthe vertical position as shown in dotted lines. Vhen the semaphore hasbeen moved through an angle of forty-five degrees, its further motion isprevented by the pawl 1 engaging the lug 1 The pulley I is revolvedatthe same time and by means of the belt I revolves the lamp 1 so as toshow a white light. This semaphore acts as a rear signal for the trainthat has just entered the block and shows a following train that thereis a train in the block ahead. In the meantime, as we have seen above,the electro-magnet H is also energized so as to complete the circuitthrough the bat tery H. The circuits through said battery are similar tothe circuits through battery G and hence need not be traced. The actionof the semaphore apparatus in this case will also be the same as thatdescribed above and the semaphore will be at an angle of forty-fivedegrees with the vertical and will act as a forward signal for theoncoming train. The lamp J will be revolved so that it will show a redlight forward to warn a train coming in the opposite direction, when thesig nals are used on a single track. \Vhen the train comes opposite thebar H, said bar will be moved in the direction of the arrow, as has beendescribed above in relation to bar G. hen the tube H is in a horizontalposition, the circuit will be momentarily broken on account of thearrangement of the four contacts in tube 11. This will cause the circuitthrough the magnet G to be broken and the spring G will move thearmature G so as to break the circuit through battery G and allow thesemaphore l to drop. The magnet G will then be demagnetized and thespring G will move the armature G so as to release the bar G and allowthe spring G to pull said bar back to its normal position. The mercuryin the tubes H H H and 11 will now be in the position designated by thedotted lines and the circuits will be similar to those traced above inconnection with the tubes G G &c., and the semaphore J which hasmomentarily dropped on account of the breaking of the motor circuit willbe again moved to a fortyfive-degree position and act as a rear signalfor the train. Suppose now a second train enters the block which thefirst train has just left. The semaphore J which is now acting as therear signal for train No.1, must also act as a forward signal for trainNo. 2. If the said semaphore remained at a forty-five-degree position itwould not warn train No. 2 that there was a train in the block ahead ofit. This difficulty is avoided in the following manner:

ICO

When train No. 2 moves the tubes G G G G so that the mercury takes theposition shown by the dotted lines, the circuits will be the same asdescribed in connection with train No. 1 until conductor H isreached, 1. a, starting with fence wire 7, by conductor G through tube G&c., to fence wire 6, thence through conductors H and 11 thence throughconductor H mercury in tube H, wire H to wire H thence by wire H to tubeH thence by wire H to magnet H thence by wire H to ground. hen magnet His energized it attracts its armature I1 so as to make contact betweensaid armature and the contact H 30 and also between the two contacts Hand H The completion of the circuit between the latter two contacts cutsout the tube H and connects conductors H and H \Vhen contact is madebetween the armature H and contact H a circuit is completed through thebattery H as follows: from battery to armature H thence through wire Hcontact H armature H and wire H to electro-magnet J, thence to wire Hand back to battery. When magnet J is energized it attracts its armatureto the pawl J and moves said pawl so it will be free from the lug J Themotor J is now free to move the drum J and semaphore J until the pawl Jcomes in contact with the large lug J The latter lug is of such sizethat the pawl engages it even when attracted by the magnet J. Thesemaphore is now at right angles to its normal position and the lug Jbeing now in contact with its associated brush, the circuit is completedthrough the lamp J and a red danger signal is shown. The lamp J isrevolved so as to also show a red light to the rear. It will beunderstood that this lamp J which shows a red light in one direction anda white light in the other direction, always shows a red light forwardwhen the semaphore is at an angle of forty-five degrees and to the rearwhen the semaphore is at an angle of ninety degrees and would ofitselfbe sufficient, thelamp J being used only as an additional precaution toprevent trouble in case the lamp J fails to work. When the semaphore isin this position and the danger signal shown, the engineer knows thatthere is a train in the block ahead. When train No. 1 reaches the end ofits block, the circuit through magnet H is broken in the same manner aswas the circuit through magnet G so as to demagnetize magnet H and allowthe tubes I-I, H H and H to be brought back to their normal position.The current is now broken through magnet 11 and diverted so as to passthrough magnet H This change is brought about by the arrangement ofcontacts in the tube H The contact in the left end of said tube is bentdownwardly so that the current can be changed from conductor H to 11without being interrupted, for if it were interrupted tubes G G &c.,would be brought back to their normal position while train No. 2 wasstill in the block and then the semaphore I would cease to act as itsrear signal and a third train following train No. 2, would not be warnedas to the position of No. 2. When the circuit is broken through magnetH, the

circuit is also broken through the motor J by spring H and semaphore Jdrops to its normal position and the red light J 21 is extinguished andas the current is changed from magnet H to magnet H, the circuit throughthe motor is again completed and the semaphore brought to the forty-fivedegree position and acts as a forward signal for train No. 2.

If when a train passes a semaphore and it is neither at the forty-fivedegree or ninetydegree position, the train crew know the signals are outof order and can tap on to the fence wire and telephone or telegraph tothe station and get or give information as the case may be.

It will be seen thatI have here a system of signals that will show eachtrain the exact condition of the track ahead, and will also make thefact of any trouble or disorder in the system known to the trains asthey pass along.

Fig. 5 shows a double track equipped with my system of signals. The lefthand track shows the position of the semaphores when one train is on thetrack and the right hand track shows the position of the semaphores whentwo trains are in adjoining blocks.

I claim- 1. The combination with an electric fence and a system ofrailway signals of a combined motor and generator having three armatureson one shaft and connections whereby the two generator armatures supplycurrent for the fence and system of signals, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a block system of a railway track divided intosections, a signal at the end of each section operated by an electricdevice, the signal between any two adjoining sections bein acted uponthrough the same motor mechanism by each of two trains, when they are insaid adjoining sections, the action of the last or rear train causingthe signal to take a position different from that due to the firsttrain.

3. The combination in a block system, of a railway track divided intosections, a signal at the end of each section operated by an electricdevice and a series of switches and con nections so arranged that as atrain leaves a section, the signal at the rear end of the section justleft is brought to normal position and the signal at the forward end ofthe section just entered is set, and the signal between the two sectionsremains set, and means by which the last mentioned signal is moved to adifferent position when a train enters the rearsection before theforward section is clear, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a block system, of a track divided into sections,a signal at the end of each section, electric motors for operatingsaidsignals, a circuit changer at the end of each section operated by thepassing trains, and a system of circuits and electro-magnets so arrangedthat when one of said circuit changers is moved by a passing train, acircuit will be completed through an electro magnet which closes themotor circuit of the corresponding signal; through a secondelectro-magnet which holds said circuit changer 1n 1ts new position andthrough a third electro-magnet which completes the circuit of the motoroperating the next forward signal.

5. The combination in a system of railway signals, of a signal operatedby an electric devlce in an independent circuit, hermetically sealedtubes containing mercury, and having the air exhaustedtherefrom,suitablc contacts sealed into said tubes, electro-magnets incircuit with said tubes and means whereby a passing train rocks saidtubes so as to change the circuits and energize the magnets, causing oneof said magnets to close the independent circuit and operate the sigpa],and the other magnet to hold said tubes in their changed position,substantially as described.

6, In a switch actuating device for a system of railway signals, thecombination of a ra lway rail, two flat pieces associated with said railand pivoted at opposite ends, a bell crank lever pivoted on each of theadjacent ends of the said pieces so that the horizontal arm of theleverof one piece projects beneath the end of the other piece, substantiallyas described.

7. In a switch actuating device for a system of railway rails, thecombination of a railway rail, two flat pieces associated with said railand pivoted at opposite ends, a bell crank lever pivoted on each of theadjacent ends of the said pieces so that the horizontal arm of theleverof one piece projects beneath theend of the other piece, a pivoted Tshaped piece beneath the vertical arms of the bell crank levers, said Tshaped piece connected to the reciprocating rod, provided with theenlarged beveled pieces K K in proximity to similar pieces K K on thebars G, whereby said bars G are moved when a train passes along thetrack, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a block system, of a track divided into sections,asignal at the end of each section, electric motors for operating saidsignals, a circuit changer at the end of each section operated by thepassing trains, and a system of circuits and electro-magnets so arrangedthat when one of said circuit changers is moved by a passing train, acircuit is completed through an electromagnet which closes the motorcircuit of the corresponding signal; a second circuit is completedthrough an electro-magnet which holds said circuit changer in its newposition and a third circuit is completed through an electro-magnetwhich closes the circuit of the motor operating the next forward signal;and the circuit is broken through an electro magnet, which holds thefirst circuit closer to the rear, in the position to which it was movedby said train, allowing said circuit changer and corresponding signal toregain their normal position.

9. The combination in a system of railway signals, of a semaphoreoperated by means of an electric motor and drum, a piece attached tosaid drum provided with two lugs of unequal length, a pawl adapted toengage the lugs to limit the motion of the drum, an electro-magnet inproximity to said pawl and connections whereby said magnet is energizedwhen two trains are in adjacent sections so as to attract said pawl,free it from its engagement with the short lug and allow a furthermovement of the drum, substantially as described.

10. A system of railway signals comprising a number of circuit changerseach circuit changerconsisting of aseries of hermetically sealed tubescontaining mercury and having the air exhausted therefrom, suitablecontacts sealed into said tubes, means associated with said tubes bywhich they are rocked by a passing train, each circuit changer beingconnected to a common source of electrical supply in such a manner thatas they are successively rocked, the movement of one of said circuitchangers causes the preceding one to be moved to its normal position.

DAVID E. XVILSON.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. Gnnrnonr, ALICE H. Gnnnns.

